1 Year Old Hen Just Started Chicken Feed

[y3553n19]

So I have a Buff Orpington that I have had for over a year and all that I have been feeding her is oatmeal, vegetables, and sometimes worms. I recently bought five baby chicks from a feed and supply store and since I was there I bought a big bag of chicken feed 20% and I started feeding it to the hen and the five chicks. My question is when will the hen start to lay eggs or is she never gonna lay. oh and all the time that I have had her, she has never had eggs. Thank you for your help.

 

[my sunwolf]

How old is she? Can you post a photo? Hens often start laying around 6-8 months, but many can take longer. Some hens don't ever lay. Sometimes a low-protein diet early in life will have impacts on her egg-laying ability later in life.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Did you get the hen as a chick? I'm assuming so since you've had her for a year and the title says "one year old hen", but it never hurts to be clear rather than assume. Are the hen and five chicks the only chickens you have? If not, have your other chickens been fed the same diet as your hen until now and, if so, are they laying or not? Is your hen allowed/able to forage in addition to the oatmeal/vegetable diet you have offered her?

 

[cluckcluckluke]

So are you feeding chicks layer feed?
If so I would highly recommend you don't. Depending on age I would just feed them chicks crumbles.

 

[y3553n19]

This is Hellen, yes I had her since she was really small, maybe a couple of weeks old.

 

[y3553n19]

Did you get the hen as a chick?  I'm assuming so since you've had her for a year and the title says "one year old hen", but it never hurts to be clear rather than assume.  Are the hen and five chicks the only chickens you have?  If not, have your other chickens been fed the same diet as your hen until now and, if so, are they laying or not?  Is your hen allowed/able to forage in addition to the oatmeal/vegetable diet you have offered her? 

Yes, they are the only ones that I have. Occasionally I let her forage. And yes I got her as a little chick, but she was my first chicken ever so I didn't know I had to give her feed.

 

[y3553n19]

So are you feeding chicks layer feed?
If so I would highly recommend you don't. Depending on age I would just feed them chicks crumbles.

Yes I am feeding the chicks chicken Feed, the man that sold me the chicks told me that they are a month old, and that I should feed them that. What do you mean about the crumbles?

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Quote: You don't feed 4 week old chicks layer feed. It is to high in calcium and they will have liver problems later.
If I was you I would just feed your whole flock ( Hellen and the chicks ) chick crumble. It can also be called chicks starter.

 

[y3553n19]

You don't feed 4 week old chicks layer feed. It is to high in calcium and they will have liver problems later.
If I was you I would just feed your whole flock ( Hellen and the chicks ) chick crumble. It can also be called chicks starter.

Thanks for the info

 

[y3553n19]

she just layed these two yesterday and today!